1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer-discharging unit, a developer-receiving unit, developer transporting system, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional image-forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile machine uses developer such a stoner. Toner is supplied from a toner cartridge to a developing unit. Then, the developing unit supplies the toner to electrostatic latent images to develop the electrostatic latent images into visible images. Some toner fails to be transferred onto a print medium and remains on a photoconductive drum after transfer of toner images onto a recording medium. A cleaning unit removes the residual toner from the photoconductive drum and feeds the residual toner as waste toner to a toner-transporting path. Then, the waste toner is delivered through the toner-transporting path to a waste toner-receiving unit. In this manner, the toner is delivered from one section to another through various sections in the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 23 illustrates a conventional interface between one section and another section. FIG. 24 illustrates two sections in FIG. 23 coupled together. FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the structure FIG. 24.
Referring to FIGS. 23–25, toner is transported in a toner-transporting path 41 to a waste toner tank 44. A first shutter 42 is pivotally mounted in a forward end portion of the toner-transporting path 41. A second shutter 43 is mounted to the underside of the forward end portion of the toner-transporting path 41 and can slide back and forth in a direction in of movement of the toner-transporting path 41. A third shutter 45 is pivotally mounted to a waste toner tank 44. A spring 46 is mounted on the underside of the forward end portion of the toner-transporting path 41 and urges the second shutter 43 in a direction shown by arrow A. When the toner-transporting path 41 advances in a direction shown by arrow B to fit into an opening 40 formed in the waste toner tank 44, the toner-transporting path 41 pushes the third shutter 45 out of the way and the second shutter 43 abuts the waste toner tank 44 that serves as a topper. The second shutter 43 is pushed back against the urging force of the spring 46, so that the first shutter 42 rotates about a pin 42a to downwardly open the forward end portion of the toner-transporting path 41.
With the aforementioned conventional interface between the toner-transporting path 41 and the waste toner tank 44, the third shutter 45 is operatively associated with the forward and backward movements of the toner-transporting path 41, pivoting about a pin 45a to open and close the opening 40. Thus, when the toner-transporting path 41 enters or leaves the waste toner tank 44 through the opening 40, the waste toner in the waste toner tank 44 tends to spill through the opening 40. This chance of toner of spilling exists until the forward end portion of the third shutter 45 has fitted into or left the opening 40 completely.